THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 24, 1994 TAG: 9412240427
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Jim Ducibella
LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
Nothing has aggravated pro football players, coaches and fans more this season than the officiating, especially in light of the rules changes regarding pass interference.
But don't expect commissioner Paul Tagliabue to do something about it, especially if that something is a revival of instant replay or adding someone else to keep pace with the action on the field.
Why no instant replay? Tagliabue says he doesn't want to interfere with the ``pace and flow'' of the game.
Another ref? Tagliabue scoffed. ``I've been commissioner for five years, and there's been very little, if any, interest in those approaches.''
When asked about the public (and, to a lesser extent, inside) perception that the officiating stinks, Tagliabue said none of us would like it if six to 12 cameras recorded everything we did daily, and a review board came in to review it several times.
OFFICIALS II: That was some performance the Vikings gave last week against Detroit, some of the biggest hits they've laid out all season.
All against the officials.
Defensive tackle John Randle was ejected in the fourth quarter for shoving umpire Dennis Riggs. Moments before, on the same Detroit touchdown drive, linebacker Jack Del Rio was penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct for verbal abuse of an official. Del Rio was incensed about a pass interference penalty called against cornerback Anthony Parker.
It looked bad, like the Vikings were undisciplined, ill-tempered crybabies.
What Roy Barker had to say afterwards didn't change anyone's mind.
``I think the officials are starting to get ridiculous,'' Barker said. ``Call after call after call . . . All our receivers get pushed down. Warren (Moon) gets slammed all over the place. Then if you say something to the officials, they get touchy.
``One official calls their defense off-sides and then allows his call to be overruled by another official. He had the better vantage point and he allows himself to be overruled. What happened?''
The refs had no answer for that question. But there was no shortage of explanations for why Barker was thumbed.
``The fellow that was disqualified was disqualified because he went at our official and he hit our official,'' referee Bob McElwee said. ``Any time you push or make contact with an official in this league and it is a deliberate action, it is an automatic disqualification.''
UNSUNG HERO: If the Giants somehow make the playoffs - and, yeah, it's a ridiculous long shot - they should vote an extra playoff share to a guy who doesn't even start for them anymore. Quarterback Kent Graham is the one who put a halt to the seven-game losing streak that threatened to suffocate their postseason hopes.
Against Houston, Graham came into the game after Dave Brown was knocked out with a second-quarter concussion. Maybe it was luck, but he hit wide receiver Mike Sherrard with a 40-yard touchdown pass - throwing into double coverage - to give the Giants their first score. He then hit Sherrard on a 55-yard pass to set up a David Treadwell field goal that gave New York a 10-7 lead and eventually the game.
Graham is a restricted free agent at the end of this season. If he gets an offer, the Giants can match it. But why would Graham want to stay with New York when there's no question who is the team's quarterback of the future - Brown.
YABBA DABBA DO: Terance Mathis of the Falcons was asked recently what separated him from the rank-and-file NFL receiver.
``Well,'' he began, ``I have these boxer shorts.''
Scuse me?
``My kids gave them to me. I wear them every Sunday to the game. My lucky boxer shorts.''
What's unique about that?
``Well,'' he said, ``they have pictures of Pebbles and Bam-Bam on them.''
Oh.
DRY DEION: Deion Sanders tried to climb into the stands Dec. 11 after a fan in San Diego dumped a cup of beer on him - but not because his do-rag got soaked.
Deion doesn't drink.
``The thing that hurts me the most is I never tasted alcohol,'' Sanders said. ``I don't drink. I never have. I never will.''
No way to confirm this, but there's a rumor going around that Tim McCarver is a Chargers' season-ticket holder.
NFC NUGGETS: The Cowboys-Saints game, which was only the third sellout of the year for New Orleans, was the 67th straight sellout for Dallas. The streak, which includes home and away games and playoff games, dates to Sept. 22, 1991. . . . Rumor has it that Fox executives were so concerned they might lose Jimmy Johnson as an analyst (hard to believe having seen his act) that they compiled a 40-page pamphlet urging him to stay out of coaching. Included were newspaper stories detailing the health problems of successful coaches Joe Gibbs, Bill Parcells, Mike Ditka and Dan Reeves. Johnson's reaction? He laughed, then said it had nothing to do with his decision to remain. . . . The Bears are attempting to re-sign quarterback Steve Walsh, who began the year as a backup, before he becomes a free agent. If they sign him, Erik Kramer likely would be asked to take a pay cut. He was signed in the off-season to a three-year, $8.1 million deal. . . . The Lions are interested in re-signing quarterback Dave Krieg, who also was signed as a backup. That could mean a pay cut for Scott Mitchell, who signed a three-year, $11.1 million deal that included a $5 million signing bonus. by CNB